March3, 2005

Continental Airlines announced Wednesday that it would provide Jamie Daugherty with a free round trip ticket to Hawaii to attend a memorial service being held in honor of Marine servicemen killed in the January 2005 helicopter crash in Iraq. Daugherty was engaged to Marine LCpl Fred Lee Maciel who died in that crash.

Daugherty contacted U.S. Rep Judge Ted Poes Humble office for assistance on Monday when she was told the Pentagon was only transporting next of kin namely parents, wives, and children. As Maciels fiance, however, she was not included. Poes office immediately verified the information with the Marines and in turn contacted Continental Airlines. Continental responded by offering a free round trip ticket for Daugherty and a discounted ticket for her mother, Patricia Hommel.

Continental has always been an important part of our community, and once again, it has proven its loyalty to the members of our area, especially the families of the military serving our country overseas, Rep. Poe said. I appreciate Continentals generosity and willingness to work with our office to assist Jamie and her mother as they cope with their tremendous loss.

Daugherty and her mother will leave Sunday and attend the memorial service on Monday, March 7 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Daughertys fianc, Lance Corporal Maciel a native of Spring, Texas was killed in the deadliest event for American forces in Iraq since the start of the operations in March of 2003. He and 30 other servicemen were killed in combat when the helicopter, in which they were traveling, crashed in Al Anbar Province in Iraq.